Software Request Process - Free Software

1

Create Software Request in Jira

To create a Software Request (SRQ) ticket, navigate to the FPU Customer Portal and select “Software Request,” or directly follow this link: https://floridapoly.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2. 

2

Review SRQ Intake Form

The SRQ Admin reviews the SRQ Intake form for completeness and does a series of checks to help position the request to move through the SRQ process as efficiently as possible. For example, she may ask “Has your department contacted the supplier about signing Florida Poly’s Master Supplemental Addendum?” 

3

Initiate TS Assessments 

Depending on the scenario and how questions are answered in the Software Request Intake form, there can be 2-3 Technology Services (TS) Assessments required.  

• All software requests required an Information and Data Security Risk Assessment. This is to make sure that any University data transferred or externally stored is done so in a way that minimizes risk to the University and our community.  

• If your software is being requested for classroom and lab use, a representative from the IT Help Desk is pulled in to complete a Supportability Assessment. If your software requires regular software updates and patching, a representative from the Administrative Computing Systems team and/or Software Development team is pulled in to identify and better understand supportability risks.  

• Depending on the complexity of the request (e.g. if additional system integrations are required for implementation), member(s) of the TS Leadership team may be brought in for a Systems Impact & Implementation Assessment to understand impact to other existing FPU systems and implementation scope.  

4

Initiate Legal (OGC) Assessment

Best case scenario, the SRQ ticket is submitted before any of its components are kicked off. That way, the various assessments can be completed in parallel, thus getting your request completed quicker. In some cases, the Legal assessment is initiated before the SRQ ticket is submitted (e.g. if requesting legal counsel before deciding to move forward with the request). 

5

Negotiation

OGC, TS, and the vendor review and discuss whether or not the software presents risk to the University (e.g. the technology terms and conditions). Please note that even widely used and/or free software may present risk from not only a data security perspective, but from a legal perspective as well.  The terms and conditions for free software has even been known to be more risky for the University than software we pay for.

6-7

Update Jira Request with decision 

TS and the OGC will update Jira, the primary system of record, with comments and feedback 

8-9

DECISION POINT: Assessment approved? 

In Jira, there’s a feature that displays who the required approvers are as well as an indicator once the request is approved by each approver.  

10-11

Obtain VP sponsorship acknowledging risks raised

12

DECISION POINT: Have all required approvals been received? 

The last approval is completed by the SRQ admin once all information and approvals are received. The SRQ admin concludes the assessment portion by confirming with the Requestor.

13

Work with vendor to acquire software

Depending on the software, the Requestor may be able to then download the software on their own from the vendor. Other times, the Requestor may need assistance from the vendor.

14-16

Requestor confirms receipt and DECISION POINT: SRQ Admin determines if additional implementation next steps are required

Once the Requestor confirms receipt of the software in Jira, the SRQ Admin helps to determine if the IT Help Desk should be looped in to complete installation of the software (e.g. on an end user’s device, or made available on classroom and lab computers). Then, depending on the complexity of the software implementation, the SRQ Admin pulls in the TS Project Manager to initiate the Project Management process. 

17-18

IT Help Desk Installation (if applicable)

If required, the SRQ Admin will open an implementation ticket with the IT Help Desk to assist in software installation.

19-20

TS Project Management process initiation (if applicable)

If required, the SRQ Admin will pull in the TS Project Manager to initiate the PM process for software implementation. Chances are, the TS PM was brought in previously as well to provide input for the Systems Impact & Implementation assessment. This process is usually triggered if software implementation requires multiple system integrations or implementation components. The TS PM will create a linked Project ticket in Jira to act as the landing page for software implementation. Additional linked Service Requests may be created off of that depending on the scope complexity of the implementation project. 

21

Close Request

Note that closing this ticket does not necessarily mean that implementation is complete (e.g. if either the software installation or Project Management processes were initiated). If applicable, implementation will be tracked in separate, but linked Jira tickets. Closing the SRQ ticket simply means that the Software Request process is complete.